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Possibility of NBA lockout won't stop D-League season
By DUANE RANKIN, Erie Times-News
[email protected]
The NBA's collective bargaining agreement expires June 30, but that Thursday will be just another day in the D-League.
While a potential NBA lockout looms, the D-League is on course to play its 2011-12 season regardless of what happens in negotiations between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association.
"We're full speed ahead in our plans for next season," D-League president Dan Reed said. "It's business as usual for us. ... We're in the midst of developing our schedule right now. We'll be announcing affiliations in a few weeks. This is typically a busy time, and nothing has changed."
The D-League falls under the NBA umbrella, but Reed called it "a separate entity."
"Our decision isn't impacted one way or another," Reed said.
The threat of an NBA lockout and the possibility there won't be a 2011-12 season might leave the D-League a less attractive option for prospects. The D-League sells its players the message that it is a path to the NBA, making hotel living and playing for less than $30,000 a year tolerable.
Reed said he isn't concerned a possible lockout could weaken the talent level of the D-League, considering players might choose to go overseas for more money and the certainty of playing time.
"Our track record speaks for itself in our ability to help our players have successful professional basketball careers," he said. "We're the most heavily scouted league in the world. We don't expect that to change, and we've proven over our 10 seasons to be a high level of basketball and provide outstanding career opportunities for our players."
When the current CBA was approved July 30, 2005, one result was that NBA teams gained the ability to send down first-year or second-year players to their D-League affiliates as many as three times per season.
Reed isn't sure what could come out of the current negotiations that would affect the D-League, but he doesn't foresee the league immediately expanding beyond its existing 17 teams.
The Los Angeles D-Fenders will resume play in 2011-12 after not playing this past season.
"We've been very focused on ensuring our teams are successful," Reed said. "Ensuring NBA teams are utilizing our system, increasing our number of call-up assignments, our businesses, and we've been focused on that in earnest the past two seasons."
Reed said he does expect further expansion "down the road," though.
"It's not something we're actively pursuing now because we're pleased with the size of our league now," he said.
Reed does see a trend developing with NBA teams establishing one-on-one affiliations with D-League teams.
The Erie BayHawks became the third D-League team to establish a hybrid partnership with an NBA team in their three-year deal with the New York Knicks. The BayHawks will run the business side, the Knicks the basketball side.
There are seven total one- on-one affiliate relationships in the league.
"It's a great opportunity for our franchise to have one of the most famous basketball teams in the world to have to make a commitment to us to form a partnership," BayHawks coach Jay Larranaga said.
Reed said the D-League is working with the Cleveland Cavaliers to help them find a way to have a one-on-one affiliate partnership with a D-League team. Recent reports have suggested the Cavs will buy the New Mexico Thunderbirds and move them to Youngstown, Ohio.
"We're working with them on a handful of options to allow them to get more deeply involved in the NBA Development League," Reed said.
Texas D-League Management LLC bought the Colorado 14ers in 2009 and moved them to Frisco, Texas, where they became the expansion Texas Legends.
"We are at a really exciting point of our league," Reed said. "The biggest driver has been our success to date. Last year, there were 104 NBA Development League alumni on NBA team rosters. That's over 20 percent of the NBA. That's a very significant number and that catches people's attention."
Going into the 2010-11 season, the D-League made rule changes that included international goaltending guidelines and reducing the overtime period to three minutes from five minutes.
Reed said those changes were viewed as positive.
"Folks associated with the league and fans generally liked the shorter overtime," Reed said. "It kept the intensity of the game throughout."
As for the international goaltending, Reed said the players seemed to adapt to it as the season progressed.
"There were many exciting plays at the rim this year as a result of that rule," Reed said.
DUANE RANKIN can be reached at 878-2210 or by e-mail.